Water tap filter

ABSTRACT

A filter-aerator for a water tap includes a specially formed internal static mixer which reduces the tendency of the water stream to splash when it strikes the sink.

[ 1 Oct. 3, 1972 3,608,735 9/1971 Smith........................210/449 275,975 4/1883 Barrington.............210/449X Primary Examiner-Reuben Friedman Assistant Examiner-R. W. Burks Att0rneyW0lf, Greenfield and Sacks [57] ABSTRACT A filter-aerat0r for a water tap includes a specially formed internal static mixer which reduces the tendency of the water stream to splash when it strikes the sink.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Samuel Lieberman, 42 Oak Hill St., Newton, Mass. 02159 Nov. 18, 1971 [21] Appl. No 200,015

[52] US. 210/460 .B01d 29/00 Field of Search......................2l()/44545l, 460

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 316,457 4/1885 Haynes......................;210/449 United States Patent Lieberman WATER TAP FILTER [72] Inventor:

[22] Filed:

WATER TAP FILTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved aerator-filter device which may be used as an attachment to a conventional water tap. While there have been numerous devices proposed and employed to aerate water or to filter impurities out of the water, this invention performs both functions simultaneously and in a substantially different manner. In contrast to prior devices in which the air is ingested through the sides of the device and then mixed with the water within, the instant device doesnot require such side openings, yet is effective both to filter the water and to reduce the tendency of water stream to splash in the sink.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The filter-aerator includes a housing having an inlet at the top, an outlet at the bottom and a chamber disposed therebetween. A filter pad is supported fully across the chamber by a metal screen. Downstream and below the screen and filter is a dome shaped static mixer having an upper convex surface. The lower end of the dome shaped member communicates with the outlet of the device and a pair of slots are formed transversely through this member. The slots are in communication with the region of the chamber below the filter and support of screen. I have found this arrangement to be effective to reduce the usual splashing tendency without ingesting air through the sides of the device.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved combination filter-aerator of new design.

A further object of the invention is to provide a filteraerator of simple, inexpensive construction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood more fully from the following detailed description thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation, in section, of the device; and

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the mixer member.

. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings, the aerator includes a housing which preferably is formed from an upper portion 12 and a lower portion 14. The upper and lower portions l2, 14 preferably may be threaded together as shown and sealed by an O-ring 16 to preclude leakage. The upper housing portion 12 includes an inlet nipple 18 which may be threaded to facilitate its connection with a faucet or water tap. The lower housing section 14 includes a centrally form'ed downwardly extending nipple 20 which defines an outlet 22. The sections 12, 14 are formed so that when mated, they will define an enlarged central chamber. The central chamber is divided into upper and lower portions 24, 26 respectively by a filter pad 28 preferably formed from cellulose non-woven fibers. The pad 28 is supported on a mesh or screen 30 and extends fully across the central chamber.

Unlike prior aerating devices in which the air is ingested through openings in the sidewall of the device,

to foam with the water and reduce its splashing tendency, my device reduces the splash tendency W1 hout such sideways ingestion of air. This is achieved by a specially formed mixer indicated generally by the reference character 32 and shown more clearly in FIG. 2. The mixer 32 is of generally cylindrical shape. Its upper end 34 is convex and dome-shaped. The mixer 32 is supported on an annular shoulder 36 formed at the inner surface of the lower section 14 as shown. The upper dome shaped end 34 of the mixer 32 is disposed beneath the underside of the screen 30. The mixer 32 also includes a pair of circumferentially formed slots 38 formed on opposite sides of the mixer and below the dome 34. The interior of the mixer 34 is hollow. An additional screen 40 may be supported within the outlet 22 below the mixer 32 as shown. I have found that the foregoing construction is very effective both to filter and reduce the splashing tendency of the water.

It should be understood that the foregoing description of the invention is intended merely to be illustrative thereof and that other embodiments and modifications may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from its spirit and within the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. A filter-aerator device comprising:

a housing having an inlet end and an outlet end, said housing defining a chamber between said inlet end and outlet end having opposite slanting walls converging toward the outlet end;

filter means supported within said chamber and dividing said chamber into an inlet side and an outlet side;

and a hollow mixer disposed below the filter means and supported centrally within the outlet side of said chamber, said mixer including a convex, dome-shaped surface adjacent and facing said filter means;

said mixer having a width less than the largest width of said chamber but approximately the same width as the outlet end of said housing, and further having means defining a pair of oppositely disposed slots in the side wall of said mixer and an outlet passage for enabling fluid flow through the mixer.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said pair of slots include circumferential slots circumscribing a substantial portion of the side wall of said mixer.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said mixer is supported at its output end by means comprising a shoulder formed within said chamber at the termination of said slanting walls.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said slanting walls terminate at the bottom edge defining the pair of slots.

5. The device of claim 4 comprising second filter means disposed at the outlet end of the housing adjacent the outlet end of the mixer.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said slanting walls terminate at the bottom edge defining the pair of slots. 

1. A filter-aerator device comprising: a housing having an inlet end and an outlet end, said housing defining a chamber between said inlet end and outlet end having opposite slanting walls converging toward the outlet end; filter means supported within said chamber and dividing said chamber into an inlet side and an outlet side; and a hollow mixer disposed below the filter means and supported centrally within the outlet side of said chamber, said mixer including a convex, dome-shaped surface adjacent and facing said filter means; said mixer having a width less than the largest width of said chamber but approximately the same width as the outlet end of said housing, and further having means defining a pair of oppositely disposed slots in the side wall of said mixer and an outlet passage for enabling fluid flow through the mixer.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said pair of slots include circumferential slots circumscribing a substantial portion of the side wall of said mixer.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein said mixer is supported at its output end by means comprising a shoulder formed within said chamber at the termination of said slanting walls.
 4. The device of claim 3 wherein said slanting walls terminate at the bottom edge defining the pair of slots.
 5. The device of claim 4 comprising second filter means disposed at the outlet end of the housing adjacent the outlet end of the mixer.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein said slanting walls terminate at the bottom edge defining the pair of slots. 